


Gunshots

by shewhoshallwrite



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Nightmares, Panic Attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-09 08:19:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10407879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shewhoshallwrite/pseuds/shewhoshallwrite
Summary: Adam found himself struggling to even remain in the bed because every time he shut his eyes he heard the sound of gunshots, and felt the phantom piercings of bullets through his flesh.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello I am trash for this fandom. I am sorry this is short, but I am terrible at lengthier pieces and there are so many nightmare fanfics for adam and I just started to wonder what if there was a trigger.

He couldn’t sleep. Often he would have nightmares, especially during the winter when the snow was on the ground and echoed to a much a darker time. However, he found that something about this evening was different. He wasn’t simply having nightmares about his time under the curse as he often did. Nor was it one of the occasional nightmares that any man would have regarding his loved ones. 

Rather, tonight Adam found himself struggling to even remain in the bed because every time he shut his eyes he heard the sound of gunshots, and felt the phantom piercings of bullets through his flesh. 

Adam had several theories as to why this was happening. Perhaps it was the fact he was in a strange environment for the evening, perhaps it was the fact Belle was back at their home and her side of the bed was empty. Perhaps it was the ridiculous hunt he had been forced to go on. 

He hadn’t shot the gun once while out in the forest with the other aristocrats. He hadn’t even wanted to participate. He had made the small conversation to ensure he was left relatively alone, and he had sat on his horse. But he chose to stand by as the other men hunted whatever game they could find, as their hounds howled into the air. 

The tightness in his chest had begun when the first shot had gone off. He felt his throat constrict when he then smelled the powder. He had swallowed the terror that had risen in his stomach. Adam told himself it was simply the fact it had been a while since he had been around guns, he wasn’t used to the sound anymore. 

But laying in a dark room, in an unfamiliar bed, without Belle to hold, he realized he was a damn liar and fool. 

Most nights when nightmares came he would awake and hold her, look at her pale skin, her delicate features, the soft tendrils of brown hair that framed her face and allow the swell of love he felt for such a beautiful creature tamper down the feelings that were currently eating at him. 

Some nights, when he found himself tossing and screaming and accidentally woke her up he would allow her to stroke his hair and soothe him. He would lay his head in her lap and allow her to whisper sweet nothings, and remind him he had no reason to feel guilt for awakening her. 

But tonight, Adam couldn’t shake the knot in his stomach, or the way it felt like he had turned a knob in his chest too far and there was a string pulled far too taught near his heart, ready to snap. 

He had dozed off a few times, his body overcoming his mind for a few moments. But then his treacherous psyche startled him back awake shooting him with pain where he had three, round puckered scars on his rib cage. 

Oh, how he regretted telling Belle she could stay at home. How he regretted the streak of selfishness that was now coursing through him as he wished for her to be by his side, to bring him some comfort so he could at least find some solace from this panic and pain. 

\--

Come the morning he had found himself in no better state than he had been in hours ago when the sky had been dark and the air chilled. No, the prince was irritable and found his very little desire to be in this place even smaller than before. 

He had tried to gather himself together, but when someone had come in to help him prepare for the day he had told them to pack everything up. He lied and told them a messenger had come and something had come up at home. Adam simply found he wouldn’t eliminate this terrible feeling until he was back in his own bed, with Belle by his side. Far away from the ringing sound of gunshots and the smell of hot powder in the air. 

\--

He didn’t even wait for the carriage to stop once he saw the front doors of the castle. He opened the door and jumped out. Adam was just far too glad to be home, even if it didn’t feel that way as the string being pulled taught in his chest turned another notch. 

The sun was beginning to set, and he had been ruminating in his feelings of terror for over a day at this point. The ride home was a terror, every bump on the road putting him further on edge. 

But as he approached the door to his home, and it opened to reveal a very confused Belle he didn’t even let her get a word out before he embraced her and buried his face into her hair. 

He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent and felt her run her hands along his spine. He pulled away for a moment to look at her, to take that time to look at her and remind himself that he was alive and she was his. Belle cupped his cheek in her hand and stroked her thumb along his cheekbone. 

“It’s okay Adam.”

Those words allowed the string to finally snap. But in a pleasant way, one that relieved his chest of all the pressure that had been plaguing him. He let out a shuddering breath and closed his eyes as she continued to murmur affirmations to him, as she reminded him that it was all over now, and they were both there in the flesh. 

That evening he slept, enveloped in the warmth of his wife and the scent of flowers rather than that of hot powder.


End file.
